In 1927, in the ancient commercial city of Cologne, seventeen independent cooperative purchasing associations representing hundreds of neighborhood grocers joined forces to form the Revisionsverband der Westkauf-Genossenschaften (contracted as REWE). Established to protect local shopkeepers and urban consumers amidst post-hyperinflationary German turbulence, REWE pioneered modern food distribution and cooperative retail across Central Europe.
The Rhineland Cooperative Union: Solidarity Against Monopolies
Following the ruinous Weimar hyperinflation of 1923, small independent grocers (*Kolonialwarenhändler*) throughout the Rhineland and Ruhr valley faced existential threats from predatory wholesale syndicates and emerging department store chains. In 1927, seventeen regional purchasing cooperatives met in Cologne to pool their purchasing power, forming REWE to ensure fair commodity prices, reliable supply chains, and high-quality food staples for working-class families.
By centralizing warehouse logistics in Cologne while preserving the independent commercial identity of each neighborhood shopkeeper, REWE proved that democratic cooperative solidarity was economically superior to speculative monopolies.
From Cologne Warehouses to European Organic Leadership
Throughout the postwar *Wirtschaftswunder*, REWE pioneered modern self-service supermarkets, cold-chain distribution, and regional sourcing. Later, the group introduced organic brand leadership through *Rewe Bio*, sustainable store architectures with certified timber frames, and expanded into European travel through DER Touristik.
Headquartered on Stolberger Straße in Cologne and owned cooperatively by its member retailers, REWE Group prepares for its 2027 centennial as one of Europe’s foremost retail employers and cooperative institutions, preserving a century of commercial ethics rooted in the Rhineland.
La XIX Fiera del Levante: commercio e distribuzione cooperativa
Immagini d'archivio storico dell'Istituto Luce che illustrano le fiere campionarie, i mercati cooperativi e lo scambio di merci alimentari e manifatturiere nell'Europa interbellica. (Fonte: Archivio Storico Istituto Luce Cinecittà)
Interactive 360° Heritage View: REWE Group Central Headquarters & Historic Administration
Historical Location: Stolberger Straße 76-78, 50933 Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany (Coordinates: 50.9385, 6.9078)
